Hillary Clinton said she must respond to attacks coming from Barack Obama, though she would rather keep the race focused on their differences on issues in regards to public policy.
“I try not to attack first, but I have to defend myself – I do have to counterpunch,” she told the “Today Show” on NBC.
“I took a lot of incoming fire for many, many months and I was happy to absorb it because obviously, you know, I felt that was part of my responsibility. But toward the end of a campaign you have to set the record straight,” Hillary added.
On CBS News’ “The Early Show,” she would respond to charges of the distortion of Obama’s record.
“I understand that when questions are raised about someone’s record, it’s natural to respond that you’re distorting it. But I think that is just not what happened,” Hillary said to Harry Smith, co-anchor of the Early Show.
She also addressed the backlash against her husband, former US president Bill Clinton, “There’s been a lot that’s been said on both sides and some of it has been kind of generated and certainly stoked. That all needs to just calm down and everybody needs to take a deep breath,” Hillary answered addressing the backlash towards her husband.
“But regardless of what has happened, let’s go forward about the issues because the American people want this election to be about the,” Hillary would add.
In the recent days, both the Clinton and Obama campaigns had exchanged hard hits over race, Obama’s relationship with indicted donor Tony Rezko, Hillary’s vote in the Iraq war, and various other issues.
Asides from Obama’s relationship with Rezko, there was an undated photo aired by NBC of both Clintons posing with him. Rezko faces trial in February on corruption charges. On Monday night’s debate, Clinton referred to Tony Rezko as a slumlord.
“I don’t know the man, I wouldn’t know him if he walked in the door. I don’t have a 17-year relationship with him,” Hillary Clinton said. She added: “There is a big difference between standing somewhere taking a picture with someone you don’t know, haven’t seen since, and having a relationship.”
Rivals from the GOP have also increased their criticism towards Hillary Clinton. So far, the GOP views Hillary Clinton as the most likely to win the nomination of the Democratic Party.
US Republican hopeful John McCain said Hillary wanted to raise a white flag of surrender while fellow US Republican hopeful Mitt Romney called her “General Hillary Clinton.”
“I don’t worry about that because I think we’re putting together a coalition of Democrats, independents, even Republicans who are very much disappointed with the policies of the Bush administration and the approaches taken by the Republican candidates,” Hillary said to NBC in response to attacks against her by the GOP hopefuls.
She would add: “In fact we know that whomever is nominated by our party will be subjected to the same kind of withering attacks, but what is great is that those attacks are so old. It doesn’t reflect what’s happening in our country today.”